Celine Dion Sings 25 Songs in Paris, Six Years After Her Last Full Concert

Celine Dion sang a full concert for the first time in more than six years on Saturday. She was at the Plenitude Arena in Nanterre, west of Paris. The show lasted two hours and 15 minutes and had 25 songs. Her last song was "All By Myself," and she hit its high note. Her last full concert was on 8 March 2020 in Newark, New Jersey.

Dion is 58. In 2022, doctors said she has stiff person syndrome. This is a rare illness of the nerves. It affects about one or two people in a million. It makes muscles stiff and causes sudden movements that can break bones. Loud noise, touch, and strong feelings can start them. A concert arena with 30,000 excited fans has all three. She said singing felt like someone was squeezing her throat. So she cancelled her world tour.

On Saturday, she opened with a French song, "On ne change pas." She cried before it ended and told the crowd, "I had promised myself not to cry." She forgot the words of a song, laughed, and started again.

Now Dion must show she can do it again. She has 16 shows in Paris through 17 October, and 10 more in May 2027. All are sold out. Nine million fans signed up to buy tickets early. She told the crowd in French, "Je vais bien," meaning "I am doing fine." Then she sang for two more hours. One night proved that Dion can still sing. Now she must prove she can do it again.